Education

Well-designed learning environments bring tangible benefits to students of all ages, enhancing concentration, academic performance and overall happiness and wellbeing. We’re proud to play our part in developing a better education system that nurtures, encourages and inspires.

Our approach combines creativity and simplicity; engineering systems need to be functional and easy to operate and maintain. This minimises capital, operational and maintenance costs.

Environmental sustainability delivers control and energy usage reduction, whilst also acting as a vital teaching resource to encourage awareness and embed sustainability principles in the next generation.

We apply the latest passive design techniques to create buildings that are inherently energy-efficient and good climate moderators. We use environmental modelling techniques to identify the potential for mechanical ventilation, ensuring the right air quality for optimum comfort conditions. Simulation allows us to make the best use of daylight and minimise the need for artificial lighting. Combined, these approaches keep energy consumption and energy costs low from the outset, and create a harmonious environment that’s more conducive to learning.

We also pay particular attention to the acoustic performance of education buildings. Our acoustic engineering team specialises in designing spaces to manage sound based on the function and the users – crucial to an effective learning environment.

Fundamentally, we believe that education should take place in environments which do not compromise the wellbeing and prospects of future generations by degrading the climate, creating pollution and waste or having an adverse impact on biodiversity. A school, college or university campus which is designed with sustainability at its core is ultimately cheaper to operate and maintain; it’s currently estimated that UK schools could save around £70m a year by reducing their energy costs. The potential savings will only escalate in the future.

We have our own in-house team of BREEAM specialists, well versed in the latest legislation and education sector best practice, to help clients exceed their aspirations for a more sustainable teaching environment.